Winter pressure on Ukraine's energy sector intensifies due to delay in US aid
The American and European sides are increasingly concerned that US funding for energy assistance to Ukraine remains blocked, despite the difficult winter situation and damage to energy infrastructure caused by Russian strikes. This was reported by Reuters, citing sources in the US and Ukrainian governments.
The amount in question is approximately $250 million, which was planned to be used for the import of liquefied natural gas and the restoration of energy facilities. According to the agency's sources, the previous administration had informed Congress of USAID's intention to allocate part of the funds. However, after the agency's activities were effectively curtailed at the beginning of Donald Trump's term, the funding ended up in a bureaucratic vacuum.
There are ongoing discussions in Washington about who should administer these funds. Some officials insist that the funding should be unblocked by the US State Department, which currently oversees the remnants of USAID programmes. Others propose transferring the authority to the Development Finance Corporation, which could play a key role in Ukraine's reconstruction.
Sources emphasise that the current delay is not a tool of political pressure on Kyiv, as has already happened with military aid, but is related to internal disputes and the reorganisation of federal structures. At the same time, the situation is causing increasing irritation, as Russian attacks have left millions of Ukrainians without stable heating and lighting.
According to Ukrainian officials, large cities are experiencing prolonged power and heat outages, with temperatures in homes sometimes dropping to plus 7 degrees Celsius. Night-time temperatures in Kyiv are expected to reach minus 12 degrees in the coming days. According to a presentation recently shown by the Ukrainian side to foreign diplomats, all of the country's large power plants have been damaged or destroyed, and the energy sector's unmet needs are estimated at €675 million.
Commenting on the situation, the White House referred to a USAID inspector's report, which mentions possible abuses and losses of energy resources in previous years. At the same time, the Ukrainian Embassy in Washington noted that the Ukrainian and American sides are working together on a daily basis to strengthen the stability of the energy system.
Source and photo: Reuters
Ukraine, USA, USAID, Donald Trump, US State Department
